I'll Show You How To Live
by greaserslady
Summary: Post Season 5, slightly AU. Godric is alive and well, living as the King of Louisiana. Chepi is a half-fairy bartender with a little bit of a wild streak. Can she give this bored vampire a new lease on life? Can he convince her to confront her past?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **

** To set the scene, I'd like to let you know that this is going to take place after Season 5. Bill drank Lilith's blood but didn't come back after the True Death. The Authority was dismantled and vampires and humans alike are trying to get their lives back to normal. Eric returned to Fangtasia and as the Sheriff of District 5. **

** Godric never allowed the Fellowship to take him and he never Met The Sun. He is going to be somewhere between the Maker that Eric remembers and the vampire we meet in Season 2. He isn't a bloodthirsty savage, but he also isn't depressed and suicidal. The Magistrate, upon Bill's death, appoints Godric the King of Louisiana. **

** As for the Fellowship, they did end up kidnapping a different vampire and forced him to Meet The Sun. The following night Steve Newlin and his wife, as well as a good number of Fellowship followers, were all slaughtered. Jason was a Soldier of the Sun but was protected by Eric, upon Sookie's request. He now has a-slightly-better outlook on vampires.**

** Sookie spent more and more time with the Fae following Bill's death. Even though they weren't together it still hurt her more than she could have imagined. While there, she learned of a young woman who was half-Fae and half-human. She was surprised to find out that the girl lived only twenty minutes south of Bon Temps.**

** This, my friends, is where we begin. :)**

* * *

Chepi Bedeau burst through the front door of Merlotte's, dark hair cascading behind her as she stomped her way to a barstool. She plopped down in it and buried her head in her arms on top of the bar, not paying attention to the now-confused-looking Sam putting away glasses. She had had the absolute worst day at work! Not only had she only made a measly twenty dollars in tips, but she had gotten into a fight with the owner's daughter; not the verbal kind of fight, either. End result: the other girl had a busted lip and a missing tooth and Chepi was fired.

"You look like you could use a drink," Sam said, making the twenty-three year old lift her head and smile. _And some ice, _the Shifter thought, eyeing up the young woman's battered knuckles.

"A strong Long Island Iced Tea would be amazin', Sam," Chepi said with a grin, waving to her best friend, Sookie, who had just come out of the kitchen with a tray full of food. "And some ice sounds good, too," she added with a wink. She knew how it always irritated Sam when she and Sookie listened in on his thoughts. It was both a joy and a burden that came with having Fae blood.

Up to a few months ago, when Sookie came to the bar that she worked at in a little hick town much like Bon Temps, Chepi thought she was completely alone in the world. Not literally, of course, because she had her daddy and her friends; but she always felt like such a freak being able to read peoples' thoughts. Her daddy had simply told her that God gave some people gifts, but urged her to never mention it to anybody. When the vampires 'came out of the coffin', the few that would come into the bar would be drawn to her, telling her she smelled amazing. She hadn't let one bite her yet, fearing that they would kill her. Plus all of the vampires she'd ever met had been complete creeps, much like most of the human men.

After Sookie told her what they were, she went to her daddy and demanded to know why he hadn't said anything. Chepi grew up believing her mother had died during childbirth, not that she was a Fairy who had given birth and simply went back to the Fairy Realm. Sookie had met Chepi's mother on a few occasions but Chepi couldn't bring herself to go to their world and confront her. On top of never telling the truth until she had learned it from Sookie, her daddy had named her 'Chepi'—the French word for 'fairy'. Quite the sense of humor, that man.

Sam gave Chepi a quick glance over his shoulder that said more than enough. Turning around, he set her drink on a napkin in front of her and went to retrieve her ice. "Between you and Sookie," he said, low enough that she was the only person who heard, "I can never have a private thought." He smirked a little to show he wasn't too upset and set a towel with ice in it on her bruised hand.

Sookie slid into the seat next to Chepi with her usual cheerful smile. "Can I have two more Buds, Sam?" she asked the handsome man behind the bar before turning her attention to her friend. "What's wrong?" She could see the melancholy written on her face despite the smile she faked. As Chepi filled her in on what had happened with the fight, which started when she overheard her boss's daughter thinking about stealing her tips, Sookie looked sideways at Sam.

"Oh no you don't!" Sam said immediately, maybe a little too loudly. Some of the other customers looked up from their lunches to see what was going on. Setting the two mugs of beer on Sookie's tray, he pointed his finger at the both of them, looking very much like a teacher lecturing his students. "You know we ain't hiring right now. And I don't need the two of you gangin' up on me all the time, anyway." With that said, an image popped into Sam's mind that had both of the girls smacking him upside the head.

"Don't worry, Sam, I wasn't goin' to ask anyway. I know how much of a pervert the boss can be!" Chepi laughed as the blush tinted Sam's face a pale pink. She waited until he walked away to turn to Sookie. "I'm actually thinking of applying at Fangtasia. I saw an ad in the paper sayin' that they needed a new bartender. You know the owner, don't you?"

"Are you crazy?" Sookie whispered harshly, standing up with the tray of beer in her hands. "You workin' there would be like ringin' the dinner bell. Every vampire that walks in that place would be tryin' to take a bite outta you!" She gave her friend another incredulous stare before going off to her tables.

_ So much for her support,_ Chepi thought sarcastically. Sure, she knew it was as good as suicide to work at a vampire bar, but she knew that if she could do it without being eaten she could make insane money. Plus she was a pretty great bartender, if she said so herself. Hopping off her stool, she made her way back into the kitchen to talk to her other best friend.

"Bitch, get your fine ass back here!" Lafayette yelled as soon as he saw her through the pick-up window. She grinned and hurried around to the entrance of the kitchen, laughing when he gave her a rib-crushing hug. "Where has you been, girl? It's been over a week since you came to see Lafayette. I was beginnin' to think you had some hot piece of dick on the side."

"Lafayette!" Chepi heard Sookie chide him for his crude language. "Did you tell him how you've gone bonkers?" she asked, hoping Lafayette would back her up.

With a curious look from Lafayette, Chepi told him about being fired and wanting to apply for a new job at Fangtasia. At first he had the same reaction that Sookie had, but knowing that she was going to do it anyway, he took one of his silver chains off his neck and gave it to her. "You make sure you wear that, you hear? Loop it 'round your neck twice so it's over your jugular. And you take all the money those vamps got, hooka!"

Sookie sighed and rolled her eyes, giving in to Chepi's crazy plan. "At least you can't get glamoured," she said, trying to find an upside to this situation. "Pam will probably be there with Eric. I'll text her and tell her you're comin' to apply tonight. Make sure you wear lavender; it's her favorite color."


	2. Chapter 2

Clad in a lavender tank top, skinny jeans and her sexiest pumps, Chepi entered the still-closed night club through an employees-only door. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark atmosphere; all read and black and so much what she expected to see. The music called her to the front of the club, where she saw a few waitresses prepping for the night. A rather fidgety woman in her thirties spotted her and waver her over.

"You must be, oh what did she say your name was?" The woman searched her mind for it but the blank look on her face showed she couldn't find it.

"Chepi," the younger woman finished. "And you're Ginger?" Sookie had filled her in on Ginger, saying she had been glamored to the edge of insanity.

"That's me!" Ginger replied, glancing around nervously. Pam had just told her about the girl coming to apply and she already forgot her name? She was glad the female vampire wasn't around to see that slip up. "They're waiting for you in the office, back this way." She motioned for Chepi to follow.

As they walked down the hallway Chepi played with the silver chain around her neck. She hoped it would be enough to keep the vampires at bay. Before Ginger could open the black door they had stopped in front of, it was pulled open abruptly, revealing a beautiful African-American vampire, fangs out. Ginger shrieked in surprise and scurries down the hallway. Chepi took a tentative step backwards as the vampire—Tara, she was assuming—advanced. She was dressed in leather from head-to-toe and Chepi suddenly felt vastly under-dressed. Tara had in her nose up slightly and was smelling the air around Chepi like her life depended on it. It was making Chepi increasingly uncomfortable.

"You must be Tara," Chepi said, trying to break the awkwardness of being sniffed. She held her hand out for the young vampire to shake. "Your cousin told me you were beautiful." _Maybe flattering her will make her stop looking at me like dinner._

"My cousin's an asshole," she spat back, smirking as Chepi's hand dropped back to her side. _Okay, well that didn't exactly work._

"Tara, cut the shit and let the girl through," she heard come out of the office from a very annoyed sounding woman. Tara backed into the office, arms folded across her chest. She looked like a child throwing a tantrum to Chepi.

The human stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. Other than Tara there were two other vampires, who she was assuming were Eric and Pam. Eric was seated behind his desk with his feet propped up, dressed to the 'T' in a black suit with a black shirt and tie. He said nothing, but his eyes shifted to Pam in silent appreciation. Chepi's eyes slid towards the older of the two female vamps. Pam was dressed in head-to-toe leather, much like Tara, but instead of black hers was a deep red. The three of them made quite the impressive pair and it caused Chepi's heart to pick up the pace in both excitement and fear. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Tara licking her lips, making Pam shoot a glare that said 'don't even think about it' loud and clear.

"So anxious to close yourself in with three vampires?" Pam asked with a smirk. Chepi smiled in response and stepped forward with her hand out. _Let's try this again._

"It was closed before I came in; I thought it polite to close it behind me," Chepi explained. "My name's Chepi Bedeau. I'm here for the bartendin' position."

"I know what you're here for. I'm not an idiot." She took Chepi's hand in her cold one firmly. "A human with manners: such a rare entity these days." She held her hand up in the air, Chepi still in her grasp, and motioned for her to twirl. Chepi did so slowly and was rewarded with what resembled a purr from the vampire. "I'm Pam, by the way. And are you absolutely sure you want to be a bartender? You'd make a great dancer." Pam let her hand slide down Chepi's arm deliberately, her eyes locked with the half-Fae's.

Before Chepi could answer there was a low growl from Tara. The mortal looked over at Tara and if looks could kill she'd be stone cold. The only thing keeping Tara from attacking was the pointed glare she was earning from Pam, silently telling her to calm the fuck down. Chepi took a step away from Pam as she recalled Sookie telling her that the two vampires had a 'thing'. The last thing she wanted to do was get on Tara's bad side right from the start.

"Pam, please remove your hot-head progeny," Eric finally spoke as he stood from his chair. Chepi could properly admire his immense stature now; he looked like a giant compared to her own five-feet and four-inches. Even with the added three inches her pumps gave her she had to admit that he was the most intimidating creature she had ever encountered. And she'd seen a mountain lion right up close, too! "Jag tar hand resten av intervjun." ("I'll handle the rest of the interview.")

Chepi caught the slightest hint of a smirk as he spoke in a language she didn't recognize. Being from the middle of nowhere definitely had its disadvantages; one being she wasn't exposed to many other cultures or languages. She dreamed of traveling abroad someday, meeting new people and learning as much as she could. But for now, she served drunks their alcohol and happily took their money. Or at least, she hoped she could continue to do that here, in Fangtasia.

Pam frowned as she grabbed Tara's arm and shoved her out of the office. Obviously, whatever Eric had said didn't please her. "Du lät mig aldrig ha något kul," ("You never let me have any fun," she mumbled over her shoulder, glancing once more at Chepi before leaving. Eric chuckled lowly as the door closed.

The tall vampire made his way slowly around his desk, eyes freely traveling over Chepi's body. Chepi was very proud of her body, though she had to thank her mother's fairy blood for it mostly. But she did keep care of herself: working out daily, tanning, dressing to flatter her best assets. _Those_ happened to be what his eyes settled on the longest, her tank top hugging her ample breasts tightly. She cleared her throat to get his attention but that only made him concentrate on her neck. _He really has no shame,_ she thought to herself. Being impatient made her raise her hand and wave, finally bringing his eyes up to her face. _That's right sweetheart, I do have a face._ She thanked whatever powers-that-be that she was able to bite back that remark before it slipped off her tongue.

"Please, sit," Eric said, breaking the tension that had started to take over the room. Chepi did so as he leaned back against his desk, hands in the pockets of his tailored slacks. "You're quite breathtaking. If you were merely human I would have hired you as soon as you walked through the door, if only to satisfy my own needs." His bluntness surprised Chepi, but she respected his honesty. "But, as it stands, you are not completely human. I'm sure you understand the risks involved with someone with Fae blood working in a vampire club." She nodded before he continued. "You smell absolutely delectable. Not all vampires will have my self-control and those chains," he gestured to the silver chain looped around her neck, "Will do little to protect you. There are many other places to feed from."

Chepi crossed her legs and sat up straighter, confidence radiating from her the same was sex radiated off him. She had rehearsed this speech over and over on the drive to Shreveport. "Mr. Northman," she began.

"Call me Eric," the blonde vampire interrupted.

"Eric," Chepi started again, smiling up at him. "I do understand the risks; I'd be a fool not to. But I also understand that we both have a lot to gain from my employment here." Eric raised his eyebrows slightly, showing interest. "Think about all the vampires that would be linin' up to get a wiff of my scent. Think about the cover charge that you could double and know that they would still pay it. And with the increase of vampires will come the increase of humans, who will pay ridiculous amounts of money on cheap liquor, tryin' to get the courage to talk to the vampires." Her smile turned into a smirk when she concluded, very proud of herself. She usually wasn't the type to toot her own horn but if it could help her get a job that promised huge tips, she'd do it.

Eric mulled the idea around in his head, weighing the pros and cons. "It could still prove to be a security nightmare, but I like the way you think."

"So I have the job?" Chepi asked hopefully, literally crossing her fingers.

"On a trial basis, yes. Pam's in charge of the bar so go talk to her."

* * *

A half hour and one insanely tight black corset later, Chepi was behind the bar with Tara and Pam, getting the rundown on the way things worked. Fangtasia was a few minutes from opening and there was a small horde of butterflies in the half-fairy's stomach. She was nervous and excited all rolled up into one. She ran a hand over the bottles of alcohol, taking a mental note of their location so she could grab them quickly. In addition to the hard liquor, wine and alcohol there was a cooler full of every kind of Tru Blood. She had never served one before seeing as the bar she had worked at didn't carry them and asked Pam how long to microwave it for.

"Doesn't matter, sweetheart. As soon as they smell you the last thing on their mind will be that fake shit," Pam purred, once again letting her hand trail down Chepi's arm.

"We put all our tips in here," Tara said loudly, breaking the gaze that Pam had locked on the mortal. Chepi saw she was pointing to a large hurricane jar on a shelf under the bar. "Don't think about stealing any, either."

Chepi couldn't help but laugh, which could have been fatal if Pam hadn't been there to restrain Tara. "I'm sorry," Chepi apologized quickly. "I wasn't laughing at you, I swear. It's just that the whole reason I'm here is because I beat the shit outta my boss's daughter for stealing my tips. I would never steal money from someone."

Tara and Pam looked at each other in amusement, apparently also seeing the humor in the situation. Chepi let out a sigh of relief and went back to checking out the large amount of booze. This was definitely the most well-stocked bar she had ever been in.

"Time to open," Pam announced, sending all of the waitresses to scurry to their places. Fear seemed to be a common factor in this place, but oddly Chepi felt none. Maybe that was her first mistake.

"Think you can handle it, fairy?" Tara asked, obviously having serious doubts. "It can get real crazy, real quick in here."

"This isn't my first rodeo," Chepi quipped back, grinning like a crazy person. It was enough to make Tara bow her head to hide to laugh that wanted to break out. It was way too early to show her soft side to a girl who probably wouldn't live through the night.

* * *

When Tara had said it got crazy in Fangtasia she wasn't kidding. Chepi had a gleam of sweat on her tanned skin merely an hour after the doors opened. It was Saturday night and everyone and their mother was out looking for a good time. She and Tara settled into a nice rhythm, staying out of each other's way while making sure everyone got their drinks. It only took ten minutes for Ginger to spill a tray of pina coladas on the floor and the look Pam shot her made Chepi shiver. She quickly started another batch and had them made before the mess on the floor was even cleaned up. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Pam and Eric exchange an impressed look and it slapped a permanent smile on her face.

As soon as the vampires entered the building they were drawn to Chepi's scent. She had an army of vampires lined up on her side of the bar, calling out questions and compliments to her. She merely smiled and answered politely, refusing all offers to buy her a drink and the offers to make a drink out of her. Unlike what Pam predicted, a few of the vampires eventually settled on the blood substitute, while others went searching for a human donor. And others were more persistant, sitting at the bar and continuing their attempts to 'woo' her. She sent a few eye rolls over her shoulder to Tara, making the female vampire smirk. But what all of the vampires had in common was that they were leaving HUGE tips, even if they didn't buy anything. Most of them were accompanied with phone numbers, of course, but those got tossed in the trash as soon as the vampire who had left it walked away.

"Excuse me, miss?" Chepi heard from the far end of the bar. She turned and saw a young-looking female vampire waving her over. She looked to be no more that twenty, but obviously in this case looks were very deceiving. Chepi set the rag she had been using to wipe the counter down and made her way to the vampire.

"Can I get you something?" Chepi asked politely.

"I saw your bracelet and I just had to get a closer look!" The vampire said, sounding very excited about Chepi's choice of jewelry.

Around her wrist Chepi wore a gold charm bracelet her daddy had given her when she turned eighteen. There were ten charms on it all-together, including a small set of fairy wings she had just recently added. "Oh, this?" Chepi held her wrist out in front of the vampire, who gently but firmly grasped it. "I just love collecting new charms for it."

"It's divine," the woman replied, bringing Chepi's wrist closer to her face. But instead of admiring the charms, the human quickly noticed that the vampire was admiring her vein! Before she could react the vampire's fangs were exposed and ready to sink into the soft flesh like warm butter.

Chepi squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the pain, but instead felt her arm being released just as quickly as it was seized. Opening her eyes she came face-to-face with beautiful blue eyes. Another vampire, this one looking like a boy in his late teens, was holding the female vampire roughly by the throat. Eric and Pam were just behind him, fangs at-the-ready. The noise in the bar stopped, albeit the thumping music, as all eyes were on this new face. Chepi kept hers eyes on his face, taking in the beauty that it was. He was sculpted perfectly and he radiated immense power.

Chepi's gaze was momentarily shifted as, one-by-one, all of the vampires in the bar bowed in his presence. She looked back at him and was surprised to find his eyes still locked on her. She could see a mixture of fury and intrigue in his crystal blue depths, though the rest of his face remained completely composed. Her eyes finally shifted to the vampire in his grasp and he followed her lead, looking like he had almost forgotten he was even holding her.

"We do not feed in public. Nor do we feed from unwilling humans," his voice was steady, calm and completely terrifying. He had a slight accent but Chepi couldn't place it. She found that it sparked her curiosity and any fear she should have felt was pushed down.

"I apologize, your majesty," the female vampire choked out, her hands grasping at the stronger one around her neck. Chepi knew that vampires didn't need to breathe but she could only imagine that having your windpipe crushed was still painful whether you used it or not. _'Your majesty'? _the half-fairy mused, looking back to the eternally young male vampire.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to," he replied sharply, eyes moving back to Chepi. "You need to apologize to the woman you tried to bite. And you need to apologize to my progeny for disrupting the peace in his establishment." Chepi's eyes widened as she glanced back and forth between Eric and his apparent maker. It was surprising, to say the least. One would assume, because of the way they look, that it was the other way around.

With obvious fear in her voice, the female vampire apologized to both Chepi and Eric. Chepi nodded her acceptance while Eric remained still, eyes ablaze with fury. "Eric," his maker started, getting the former-Viking's attention. "This is your district and your business. I will let you handle any punishment you see appropriate for the crime." The female vampire was thrown to the floor, only to be scooped up again by Eric and led into the back of the club. Chepi shuddered slightly at the thought of what was about to happen.

"Please, everyone return to what you were doing," the powerful vampire commanded, waving to everyone who was still staring. Chepi began to turn away when he called her over to him. She had expected him to vanish as quickly as he had appeared, so when she saw him take a seat at the bar the little swarm of butterflies returned to her stomach. Was he going to chastise her for being so dumb? Was he going to tell Eric to fire her?

"Can I get you somethin'?" she asked, a smile on her face despite her nerves. Now that she wasn't distracted by his hand around another vampire's throat she could see he was dressed very simply, but expensively. He had a dark blue silk dress shirt on with the first few buttons undone. She could see part of a tattoo on his chest and wondered how many tattoos he had. She had a few herself, being addicted to the sweet pain. It was a satisfying feeling when you got a new design permanently imprinted on your body.

"No, thank you," he shook his head slightly. "I wanted to ask you what your name was."

"Chepi Bedeau," she replied, holding herself back from presenting her hand. She would definitely think twice before letting a vampire get a hold of her wrist from now on.

A smirk formed on the vampire's perfect mouth, his eyes alight with amusement. "'Chepi' suits you quite well. I must say, I'm surprised my child hired a fairy as a bartender."

Chepi laughed lightly, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, my daddy has a good sense of humor." Her smile faded a bit at the last part. "Tonight's my first night, and probably my last. I should have never believed her." She crossed her arms over her chest, hating her naivety.

"No, you shouldn't have," he reprimanded, though he didn't sound incredibly mad. "But she should have had the self-control to restrain from biting you. Unfortunately not all vampires want to better themselves. They remain savages even after decades and centuries of being undead." His voice was remorseful and she had to wonder how old he really was.

"Who are you?" she wondered aloud, letting her arms drop and her hands rest on the bar between them. "I mean, I figured out that you're Eric's maker but why did that woman call you 'your majesty'?" She may have been overstepping her boundaries by questioning him but she was curious. _You know what curiosity did to the cat,_ she reminded herself.

He tried to hide his smile at her child-like inquisitiveness. It was refreshing to meet someone who didn't already know who and what he was. So often he was met with vampires and humans alike who would do or say anything they thought would please him, but it was never genuine. They always had ulterior motives behind their fake kindness. "My name is Godric," he introduced himself. "I am the vampire King of Louisiana."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, following and favoriting this story! It means so much to get those email notifications! I have a general idea of where this story is headed, but I'm always up for suggestions. I like to make my readers happy so if there's something you want to see let me know in a review or message and you might just see it pop up in the story! Happy reading, dears! :)**

* * *

"King?" Chepi asked, surprise lacing her voice. She had never heard of a vampire King before. Then again, her knowledge of the supernatural was extremely limited. "So should I curtsey or something?" There was a playful smirk on her face as she did just that.

Godric laughed at her antics, causing Tara to snap her head around to look at him. In the few times she'd met her great grand-maker she had never heard him laugh. He had smiled once when they first met and smirked a few times, but never laughed. She always thought he was stuck-up, considering how old he was and all. This fairy was definitely surprising her.

"It's really just an obnoxious title," he said, lowering his voice so the other vampires couldn't hear him. "I do little more than settle disputes between feuding vampires."

"A modest vampire King," Chepi remarked, leaning on the bar, her forearms propping her up. "Who would have thought."

Her face was only a few inches from Godric's; the proximity allowed her appreciate his features more in the darkness of the club. He was boyishly handsome with amazing power behind his eyes. She had only known him for a few minutes but she knew she wanted to get to know him even better. Her eyes caught his tongue dart out to lick his lips as his eyes bore into hers.

Godric's nose was bombarded by the smell of Chepi's blood coursing through her veins just inches from him. It smelled like the sun caressing a beautiful red rose, mixed with passionate love-making. The kind of love-making that lasts all night and you fall asleep tangled in each other's limbs, completely drained of energy.

He glanced down at her gorgeous breasts, the corset pushing them together in a way that begged him to grab them. Oh, the things he would do to this woman; most of them would probably make her turn and run for her life.

"May I have a bottle of AB-negative, please?" he asked, his incredible self-control the only thing keeping his fangs from popping out. He needed to drink something to uncloud his mind.

With that smile of hers, Chepi turned to retrieve the Tru Blood he requested. She may have strutted her way to the cooler, her hips swaying from side-to-side provocatively. She may have also been playing with fire, but such was her way. She'd always had a wild streak that she blamed on growing up with just her daddy. He had raised her more like a boy; fishing, hunting, working on cars, fixing stuff. He even taught her how to fight, saying that this world wasn't cut out for people who couldn't take care of themselves. She still did all of those things, now she just filled out her camouflage shirts a bit more and got grease under her long fingernails.

"98.6, darlin'," she purred as she sat the bottle down in front of Godric. As she turned away to wait on another customer she heard a distinct growl; this made a grin spread across her face.

* * *

"He left you a two-hundred dollar tip?!" Sookie cried, sitting up on her beach towel. She and Chepi were sprawled in her front yard enjoying to late-morning sun. Her mouth hung agape as her friend relayed the story of her first night at Fangtasia.

"I guess he really liked the Tru Blood," Chepi replied innocently, turning the page of the fashion magazine she was reading. By 'reading' of course she meant looking at the pictures. Because what else do you really do with magazines like ELLE and Marie Claire?

A small laugh escaped Sookie's lips as she shook her head. In the few months that she'd known Chepi she quickly learned to never be surprised. The girl was the fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants type and Sookie both envied her and worried for her. Laying back down on her towel, Sookie thought about the two times she had met Godric.

Godric had been a key piece in bringing down Russell Edgington, fighting alongside both of his progenies against the vampire that had one thousand years on him. Russell was blinded by his obsession with the Fae and if it hadn't been for Godric, Eric and Nora all of the fairies in that field that night, including Sookie, would have been either slaughtered or captured.

The second time was a few nights later. It was right after Bill had met the True Death by his own hands, hypnotized by his desire for power. The Magistrate was doing serious clean-up after the mess the Authority had created. Godric was now the oldest vampire in the New World. The Magistrate wanted to appoint him the leader of the new Authority but Godric refused, asking the Magistrate if reinstating the secret group was the wisest thing. The rest of the world knew about it after Luna's stunt on live television. There would only be uprisings against them if the Authority was recreated.

After Godric was instead made the vampire King of Louisiana, he extended an invitation for Jessica to come stay with him. He knew that Bill had been her maker and he knew that she was still in the 'baby vamp' stage. He offered her his home and his wisdom of over two-thousand years. She, of course, was nervous and asked Sookie to go with her to meet him and see the mansion that Godric had chosen to serve as his home and headquarters.

"His house is amazin'," Sookie said, voicing her thoughts.

Chepi turned her head towards her friend, magazine momentarily forgotten. "When did you see his house?" That was _not_ jealousy in her voice.

"I went with Jessica when she moved in with him." Oh, Sookie was enjoying this a little too much. She hid her smile behind her own magazine, knowing that Chepi was shooting a glare her way.

"Jessica, Bill's progeny?" A nod was her answer. "Why is she livin' with him?" Okay, that might be some jealousy.

"He offered to be her mentor after Bill... Well, you know," Sookie's voice drifted off as she gazed at the clouds drifting lazily above them. She still had a hard time thinking about his death. He had been the first man she loved.

Chepi felt awful for bringing him up. She was still curious about whether or not there was anything there with Godric and Jessica, but for now she needed to be a positive energy for her best friend.

"Hey, why don't we head over to Monroe for some serious retail therapy? You don't work today and I don't have to be in until nine o'clock tonight." Chepi could see the hesitation on Sookie's face and quickly added, "And the mall just got a new Dairy Queen."

Bingo.

As they were slipping their jean shorts and tank tops over the bathing suits Sookie remembered something she wanted to ask Chepi. "Why didn't you use your light when that vampire tried bitin' you?"

Chepi furrowed her brow. "What light?"

"You've never had a light shoot out of your hands when you're mad or scared?" Chepi just looked at her like she lost her mind. "It's part of our fairy magic, like bein' able to read thoughts. Claude told me mine is on the verge of runnin' out, but you have more fairy in you than I do so you probably have more power."

Sookie raised her hand in the air, aimed at the sky, and released a burst of light. Chepi jumped in surprise, then covered her mouth to muffle the excited scream. "That was awesome! I can do that?" She held her hands up and focused on creating light from them.

Nothing happened.

"When it started happenin' to me I couldn't control it," Sookie said, trying to reassure her friend. "We could always go to the fairy realm and-"

"No!" Chepi quickly cut Sookie off. "You know that's the last place I want to go." That's where her mother lived and she had no desire to see her.

Sookie nodded, wishing that Chepi would at least meet her mom before passing judgment. She'd give anything for her own mother to be back. "I'll call Claude later. Maybe he can come over tomorrow and see what's going on with your light," Sookie offered.

Chepi nodded, still lost in her thoughts about why her light didn't work and about her mother.

"Let's get to that shoppin'," Sookie said with a cheery smile. "I have to be back by four; it's my night to watch the girls."

The thought of Andy Bellefleur's 8-month old daughters brought a wide smile to Chepi's face. They were in the same boat she was in: born half-fairy and left with their father. Only they'll grow up knowing who and what they are because Sookie and herself will be there to guide them. Chepi, Sookie, Arlene, Holly, Luna and Mrs. Thortenberry all took turns with the four little girls to help Andy. He and Holly were still working things out after she found out he was unfaithful.

"We should pick out some new outfits for them. They're gettin' so big!" The quadruplets went through clothes faster than a vampire went through Tru Blood.

Arms looped together, Sookie and Chepi made their way to Chepi's pick-up truck. She was armed with the three-hundred dollars she had made the previous night and was ready for a wardrobe facelift.


	4. Chapter 4

Pam didn't give Chepi an exact uniform; she had just said to 'look the part'. Chepi decided that black denim shorts paired with a dark red corset and black heels definitely 'looked the part'. Some black eyeshadow to emphasize her green eyes and blood red lipstick completed the look. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't thinking about a certain vampire while getting dressed.

It was Sunday and she was surprised that Fangtasia was going to be open for business tonight. Most bars were closed on Sundays, although this wasn't exactly like most bars. She would work any nights they wanted her to so long as she kept making money. And with the amount of tips she had made last night she was happy to work again.

Chepi was fifteen minutes early as she strolled through the employee door. She imediately decided that being early was a very, very good thing as she emerged from the hallway into the main area of the club. The club was empty, save for Eric and Godric seated at one of the booths, along with another male vampire she didn't recognize. He was tall, almost as tall as Eric, but not incredibly good-looking. He was dressed in simple jeans and a black t-shirt, paling in comparison to the men next to him.

Eric was dressed similarly to they way he had been the previous night: dark grey suit, black shirt, black tie. Godric's blue silk shirt was replaced with a white cotton button-up, the top buttons again undone to reveal part of a tattoo. He wore dark brown slacks and shiny brown shoes. Chepi could tell he was one to dress more for comfort than anything else. She didn't realize she had been staring until all three vampire turned to look at her.

"Hi," she waved her hand awkwardly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Embarrassed was something Chepi didn't feel often, her confidence usually over-taking any embarrassment she might feel. But right now she could definitely say that she was embarrassed of being caught staring at the men. Mainly Godric.

"You're early," Eric stated, not even looking at his watch. He sounded annoyed that she would show up before the exact time she had been told. She guessed that most of the employees weren't in a rush to get there.

"I'm sorry," Chepi apologized, confused as to why she was apologizing for being early for work. "I can wait outside." She started to turn back towards the hallway she had come from.

"Chepi." She smiled excitedly when she heard _him_ call to her. She tried to cover it the best she could as she turned to face him. "Please, come here," he motioned to the booth they were sitting at.

Setting her purse on the bar, Chepi made her way to the booth. She caught Godric give Eric a pointed look and in the blink of an eye Eric was standing, leaving the seat next to his maker open for her to take.

"Chepi, this is David," Godric introduced the vampire sitting across from them. Chepi smiled at David but only got a slight nod in return. He seemed to be the all-business type.

Before Godric could continue, Eric took the seat next to David and made sure his two-cents was heard. "Apparently my security needs to be upgraded if a half-fairy is going to be working here." He sounded annoyed again, but Chepi couldn't tell if it was genuine or just a facade he put on. She deducted that he enjoyed being the 'brooding vampire'.

"Oh, I don't want to make any extra work for anyone," Chepi began, but Godric raised a hand to cut her off. She could easily see why he was chosen as the King of Louisiana; he commanded authority without having to say a word.

"The security was lacking to begin with," Godric said, raising his eyebrows at Eric in a way that said 'don't argue with me'. She glanced at Eric and saw him relax back against the leather seat, silently obeying his maker.

"David has an extensive background in protecting people, both before and after becoming a vampire." Chepi noticed David sit up a little straighter at Godric's words, his chest puffed out like a proud peacock showing his feathers.

"I really don't need that much protection. See?" She held up her wrists to show the vampires the silver cuffs that were firmly in place. The chain Lafayette had given her was also wrapped around her neck. She was far too proud to accept a bodyguard; it made her feel weak. It made her feel like all the girls she knew who couldn't defend or provide for themselves.

"There are other places you can be bit," Godric pointed out, his eyes hazing over with desire as he looked at her bare thighs. The shorts she was wearing did little to cover them.

Chepi's heart quickened as a rush of excitement coursed through her veins. The way Godric was looking at her made her warm between her legs. She shifted, pressing her thighs together to try and subdue the feeling.

Suddenly she heard the distinct 'click' of fangs popping out of gums. She looked at David and saw him staring back at her, bloodlust written on his face as plain as day. Before she could even process the situation Godric's own fangs were out and he was leaping up from his sitting position, causing the table to overturn. Chepi just barely pulled her feet out of the way before it hit the floor with a crash.

A primal growl filled the empty club as Godric glared down at David. "She. Is. Mine."

_Whoa, what just happened?_ Chepi's eyes were wide with shock. What did that mean? Did he just stake his claim on her? Was it like when dogs peed on certain trees to tell other dogs it was their property? She looked back to David to see what effect the words had on him.

David's fangs clicked back into his gums, defeat written on his features. "My apologies, your majesty. I wasn't aware."

Godric retracted his fangs as well, but the glare remained. "Your services will no longer be required," he said coldly. He followed David's every move as he stepped over the table and left Fangtasia.

With a sigh, Eric stood, righting the table as he did so. "Well, that was a complete waste of time."

"It seems so," Godric replied, his face finally relaxing.

Chepi stood, still in shock from what just happened. "I'm gonna use the ladies room," she said, avoiding eye contact as she hurried away from the vampires.

Once in the bathroom she sunk onto the small couch, her head coming to rest in her hands. "This job is gonna kill me," she muttered to herself. Last night she was almost bitten and tonight Godric looked ready to rip David's head off when he was about to eat her up. Why did that happen anyway? They had been sitting there just fine for a few minutes before his fangs made an appearance.

"Well, you're probably right about that," she heart Pam's voice come from one of the stalls. The door opened and a human woman, probably about Chepi's age, walked out briskly. Chepi noticed a fresh bite mark on her neck.

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach," Chepi said with a roll of her eyes. Pam wasn't the type to sugar-coat anything.

Pam chose to ignore the half-fairy's sarcasm as she made her way to the sink. Blood covered her lips and chin. "On the other hand," she began, looking at Chepi's reflection in the mirror. "You have managed to draw the attention of the most powerful vampire in America. That could keep you alive."

"You mean Godric?" Chepi sat up straighter, her interest peaked. She could tell that he was powerful and the fact that he was King hinted that he was very powerful. But the _most_ powerful? That definitely was a way to make her more curious.

"No, I mean Dracula," Pam replied sarcastically. She wet a paper towel and began wiping the blood from her face. "He's over two-thousand years old," she added, seeing the excitement behind Chepi's eye.

"Two-thousand?!" Chepi yelled in shock, then quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. She hoped Godric hadn't heard and thought she was speaking poorly of him. The truth was, she was very interested in him. She had never felt such immediate electricity with any other man like she had the two times she'd spoken with Godric. It was like he awoke something savage inside of her that was clawing to be released.

"What does it mean when a vampire says a human is 'his'?" Her voice was calm but those damn butterflies had returned to her stomach, excitement making her almost feel like emptying her dinner into one of the toilets.

Pam's eyes widened slightly as she turned around, giving away her surprise. She tossed the paper towel into the garbage bin as she leaned back against the counter. "Godric said you are his?"

Chepi nodded. "Just before I came in here. That security guy, David, had his fangs out lookin' at me like I was his momma's homemade cookies. Godric got really mad and said 'she is mine'."

"Well, well, well. This just keeps getting juicier by the minute," Pam remarked, an amused smirk on her lips.

Chepi was getting impatient. She wanted to know what it meant and Pam was playing games! "What does it mean?" she snapped, but instantly regretted the tone of her voice. Before she could apologize she was pinned to the cool wall of the bathroom, Pam's hands firmly on her shoulders.

"What it means," Pam said quietly, her lips almost brushing Chepi's ear. "Is that as much as I'd like to put you in your place for your disrespect, I can't. He has claimed you as his and any vampire who tries to harm you could have his fangs ripped out. And that's if Godric's feeling merciful."

She pulled her head back to look Chepi in the eyes. "But that doesn't mean that you can walk around here like you own the place. Eric and I are still your bosses for as long as you continue to be useful. Or until you die. Am I understood?"

Chepi nodded, though she did have a new-found confidence knowing that she was under Godric's protection. But at the same time she had to wonder, what did he want in return? _He's a vampire, what do you think he wants in return?_

"Good. Now get to work. We open in five minutes." Pam let Chepi's shoulders go and nodded for her to leave the bathroom, following behind her closely.

As they exited the hallway and came into the main area of the club Chepi saw that there were fewer waitresses working than the previous night. She also noticed that Tara was warming up on the stripper pole near the stage, rather than prepping the bar. She looked at Pam with a question mark on her face.

"Sunday nights are usually slow. You're on the bar by yourself tonight. Try not to mess up." Pam's voice sounded bitter but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. Based off her first night, Pam figured Chepi could handle things herself.

Chepi smiled to herself as she parted ways with Pam and went behind the bar. She was excited that they trusted her enough already to allow her to run the bar alone. She immediately began to put away glasses that had been washed earlier, then moved to slice fruit that she may need for drinks. As the doors opened she easily managed to serve everyone by herself; Pam was right about it not being busy. The club only held half of the amount of humans and vampires as it had the previous night.

A blur on the side of the bar caught her attention and she looked away from the man she was talking with to see Godric sitting in the same seat he had the prior night. She ducked her head to hide the grin that was fighting it's way onto her face as she made her way over.

"Ya know, for a King you spend an awful lot of time in a bar," she said playfully, leaning on her forearms the same way she had last time. She remembered the effect it had on him and liked it; she liked the feeling of being in control even though he could destroy her in a second. "Drinkin' problem?"

Godric laughed at her joke before his face became serious again. "I want to explain what I said earlier."

Chepi nodded. "I asked Pam what it meant."

"And what did Pam say?" he asked, one eyebrow quirking.

Chepi took a breath to gain the courage that seemed to be failing her. It wasn't that she was afraid of Godric. No, definitely not that. He just had a way of making her feel like a nervous teenage girl under his stare. Those eyes of his have seen more than she could ever imagine.

"She said that it means you've claimed me as yours. And that you'll rip out other vampire's fangs if they touch me."

Godric found himself laughing again and noted that he'd laughed more in the past two nights than he had in a long time. There was something about this half-fairy that sparked his interest in life again. He found it very difficult to focus on anything other than her beautiful face.

"She is right. To other vampires you are now, what do humans say these days? Off the market?" He and Chepi both laughed at the phrase coming from his eloquent mouth. It sounded so ridiculous.

Chepi tilted her head to the side, letting her hair fall into her eyes as she looked up at Godric. She saw him tense ever so slightly and knew her 'bedroom eyes' had done the trick. She had never met a man who could resist that look.

"You know, most guys ask a girl to dinner before 'claiming' her," she whispered before another patron beckoned her.

When she came back to Godric he had an iPhone out in front of him, making her smirk. When you thought about vampires you thought bats, coffins and capes. You didn't think about the latest technology. "I have some business to take care of the next few nights," he said, looking through his calendar. "How does Thursday night sound?"

"It sounds great," she replied, a smile lighting up her eyes.


End file.
